Spa Gift Certificates

(PRWEB) – Spa gift certificates are becoming more and more popular and are right at the top of holiday wish lists for both men and women. Spas offer stress-relief, pampering, and results. Spa gift certificates are a wonderful way to show friends, family, employees, or the one you love, how much you care. A gift certificate to an upscale day spa says you want them to feel their very best and give them the stress relief they deserve.
When selecting a spa gift certificate, consider the following:

• Not all day spas offer the same services. To ensure the best spa experience consider looking for the spa voted best in your metropolitan area. www.citysearch.com lists best day spas for areas of the country.

• Visit a spa if possible. Look at the environment; meet the staff and smell the aromas. Just 30 seconds in a spa will give you an idea of the kind of experience you might expect. If you cannot visit a spa in person, visit the web site. Visiting the web site for a spa can give you an idea of the spas environment, their experience, and philosophy. The spa experience begins when a guest enters the door. By taking a virtual tour, you can get an idea of what the experience will be.

• Spa gift certificates are available in either dollar amounts or by custom designed treatments and packages. A more personal, and often more affordable, approach is to select a spa package rather than a gift certificate in a dollar amount. In this case, be certain that a spa will allow the recipient to make changes in the gift certificate if he or she desires.

• Some of the best gifts are things that one would typically not consider purchasing for themselves. A very popular trend today is treatments using more than one therapist. There is nothing quite like a facial (which includes a massage of the face, neck, shoulders, upper back, hands and arms) combined with a second therapist simultaneously massaging the feet with both hands and hot stones. This type of treatment is absolutely decadent and can be surprisingly affordable. At Blue Water Spa, a Foot Fantasy can be combined with almost any treatment. This is a heavenly experience with a skilled therapist providing both a manual and hot stone massage using essential oils and a warm parrafin dip.

• When considering a spa service for a man, be sure the environment is comfortable for a gentleman. Overstuffed sofas, needlepoint wall hangings, and especially co-ed waiting areas can be very intimidating to men. Instead, look for an upscale, contemporary environment with privacy.

• Ask about gift certificate delivery. For those of us who wait until the last minute, gift certificates that can be purchased over the phone can be a big help. In most cases, gift certificates can even be emailed to ensure on-time” delivery.

• When giving a spa gift certificate, be sure to ask the spas policy on aestheticians (facialists) leaving the room during a treatment. The therapist should be in the room at all times delivering pampering, relaxation, and results. A client who is left alone can feel forgotten and uneasy and certainly they are not getting the best treatment possible. In some spas, aestheticians will leave the room to go pick out products for clients to purchse or even start a treatment on a second client. Upscale spas would not think of leaving a client alone in a treatment room.

• Adding some products to a gift certificate can enhance the spa experience, especially if the gift is for your spouse. Aromatherapy candles, essential oils, soaps, shower gels, and luxurious massage cream can make for a romantic spa experience for a couple to share at home.

• If you see silk or plastic flowers, run away fast. Okay, maybe this is just me (and Oprah), but if someone cannot care for fresh flowers, I am not going to trust them with my face or body.